Google, Google, Google, Google, Google! Are you addicted to Google? Who is truly making money in the end? Let's not forget that there is a big world out there in the digital media space.
Here are a few signs that you are addicted:
Are you spending a majority of your budget on Google?
Are your conversions dipping as you Ad Word rates go up?
Are you seeing more "browsers" than "buyers" coming through Google Ad Word Campaigns?
Although it is true that Google is the dominant player in search, the fact that shoppers begin their searches on Google is not always a good thing. If you are an e-Commerce merchant you want buyers not shoppers.
Several smart things to do to curb the addiction:
1. Audit your site and make sure you have every possible "email trap" in place to capture value from every click. Offer an "Item of Value" in exchange for their contact information. Consider a contest like an eContest to maximize your ROI.
2. Be sure you are giving MSN and YAHOO search their fair share. All though you will get less traffic you will see better conversion across the board.
3. Take negative ROI campaigns and begin to allocate that budget to Social Media and Mobile Web (depending on your target market) and begin attracting new customers.
Just like everyone out there - Google is a necessary part of any successful Digital Strategy, however, I have seen so many small to medium size companies get addicted to Google - once they are shown the light - things begin to improve!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Why Contests work!
After years of running sweepstakes, contests and giveaways it is clear that they are one of the most effective ways to grow your prospect lists. Especially when you consider the effectiveness of adding in a "viral component". Think about it - Let's take and example of a Drum Website giving away a Drum set - the original entrant is often a visitor who decided not to buy but found the offer of a chance to win a drum set compelling - their information is entered in the form and is of value - however when we offer the entrant the opportunity to double their chances by referring friends - it is the friends that become of high value. The original entrant may or may not be a drummer - however, the friends they recommend will more than likely be avid drummers that would want to win. There is a double win with the "viral" friends of the entrant: 1. They are introduced to your brand via the invite email 2. If they enter the contest themselves they become a part of your prospect list and the cycle continues.
A well run contest allows you to leverage the marketing expense you are already spending:
- CPC - you have already paid for the click - might as well try to capture a few emails for re- marketing!
- Affiliate/CPA - all of the names captured are "free" as you are only paying for traffic that converts.
- Email - get your current "brand advocates" to refer your brand to their "internal database"
- Social networks - adds value to your "circle" and will help expand your "friend base"
A viral contest should be a staple of your marketing plan! In this economy we need to build and monetize our prospect lists at every point of the conversion cycle.
So do you have a contest live right now? Has it been on your IT teams list for years and still not complete? Let Arch Media's eContest Builder team build you a strong viral contest. We are versed in all aspects of contest build out and execution (Promotion, Email Compliance, Legal Issues, etc.) and in most cases can have a contest live within two weeks.
Talk to you soon
A well run contest allows you to leverage the marketing expense you are already spending:
- CPC - you have already paid for the click - might as well try to capture a few emails for re- marketing!
- Affiliate/CPA - all of the names captured are "free" as you are only paying for traffic that converts.
- Email - get your current "brand advocates" to refer your brand to their "internal database"
- Social networks - adds value to your "circle" and will help expand your "friend base"
A viral contest should be a staple of your marketing plan! In this economy we need to build and monetize our prospect lists at every point of the conversion cycle.
So do you have a contest live right now? Has it been on your IT teams list for years and still not complete? Let Arch Media's eContest Builder team build you a strong viral contest. We are versed in all aspects of contest build out and execution (Promotion, Email Compliance, Legal Issues, etc.) and in most cases can have a contest live within two weeks.
Talk to you soon
Thursday, February 5, 2009
What Hue are You?
When building a website or any brand collateral we continually see that for the small and medium size business owner a major challenge is picking out an appropriate color palette.
For those of you with larger budgets you are likely used to having style guides to follow and implement. Back in my Coca Cola days we would talk so much about colors - product color, brand collateral color etc. - Coca Cola Red in Spencerian script is what it was all about.
Here is a simple color guide that can help you to begin to define your brand:
Red = Love, Adventure, Hunger, Appetite, Action, Excitement....
White = Purity, Cleanliness, Simplicity, Clarity
Black = Darkness, Secrecy, Mystery, Seriousness, Anger
Grey = Reserved, Neutrality, Indifference, Stoic
Blue = Trust, Power, Professionalism, Calmness, Seriousness
Green = Nature, Money, Health, Healing, Openness
Brown = Earth, Nature, Simplicity, Primitive
Orange = Comfort, Creativity, Celebration, Youth, Affordability
Purple = Justice,Luxury, Fantasy, Dreams, Vision, Ambiguity
Yellow = Curiosity, Playfullness, Amusement, Carefree
Pink = Softness, Sweetness, Innocense, Youth, Tenderness
Although not a complete list - you get the point. Over the next few days start to look at the clothes people wear around you and see how their personalities match up to the descriptions above - you'll be amazed!
The creative process can be a painful process - but if we look into what we want our customers to visually perceive about our brands we can "say" quite a lot before a single word is spoken.
Eric Archuleta
Eric At Arch Media Inc dot com
For those of you with larger budgets you are likely used to having style guides to follow and implement. Back in my Coca Cola days we would talk so much about colors - product color, brand collateral color etc. - Coca Cola Red in Spencerian script is what it was all about.
Here is a simple color guide that can help you to begin to define your brand:
Red = Love, Adventure, Hunger, Appetite, Action, Excitement....
White = Purity, Cleanliness, Simplicity, Clarity
Black = Darkness, Secrecy, Mystery, Seriousness, Anger
Grey = Reserved, Neutrality, Indifference, Stoic
Blue = Trust, Power, Professionalism, Calmness, Seriousness
Green = Nature, Money, Health, Healing, Openness
Brown = Earth, Nature, Simplicity, Primitive
Orange = Comfort, Creativity, Celebration, Youth, Affordability
Purple = Justice,Luxury, Fantasy, Dreams, Vision, Ambiguity
Yellow = Curiosity, Playfullness, Amusement, Carefree
Pink = Softness, Sweetness, Innocense, Youth, Tenderness
Although not a complete list - you get the point. Over the next few days start to look at the clothes people wear around you and see how their personalities match up to the descriptions above - you'll be amazed!
The creative process can be a painful process - but if we look into what we want our customers to visually perceive about our brands we can "say" quite a lot before a single word is spoken.
Eric Archuleta
Eric At Arch Media Inc dot com
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
2009 is the year for "Inside Information" in Digital Media
I have to say it has been fun having infinite budgets over the last ten years or so in online media...but just like other markets, the age of "irrational exuberance" seems to be coming to an end. Arch Media has seen this coming for some time - here are a few tips:
Q: How do you plan for 2009 when the markets are crashing all around you?
A: Your company needs to "look within" - as Zen as that sounds - it really a matter of taking a long deserved look into your current customer/client database and monetizing you current "brand advocates". You've already made a significant investment into creating this customer and prospect database - now is the time to go back to your "fans" and create additional value:
How can Arch Media help you:
- Database Analysis and Segmentation
- Creative viral campaigns, contests and Surveys (leverage your great reputation!)
- Create Social Media monetization clusters - set-up and management
Q: How can I capture valuable information about the visitors that are visiting my site?
A: On average a site with optimized capture points should yield up to a 10% visitor to lead rate. Arch Media will audit your site and optimize you capture points to ensure that you are capturing emails, snail mail and mobile information at an optimum level. Your database is a matter of "quality" not quantity - if you effectively capture your visitor information, your database can be a great source of funding.
How can Arch Media help you:
- Website capture point Audit
- Referral Programs and Loyalty program strategy and implementation
Your past customers are your best bet for new revenue. You have already invested time and money to acquire and satisfy their needs - now unlock their hidden potential for future revenue.
Q: How do you plan for 2009 when the markets are crashing all around you?
A: Your company needs to "look within" - as Zen as that sounds - it really a matter of taking a long deserved look into your current customer/client database and monetizing you current "brand advocates". You've already made a significant investment into creating this customer and prospect database - now is the time to go back to your "fans" and create additional value:
How can Arch Media help you:
- Database Analysis and Segmentation
- Creative viral campaigns, contests and Surveys (leverage your great reputation!)
- Create Social Media monetization clusters - set-up and management
Q: How can I capture valuable information about the visitors that are visiting my site?
A: On average a site with optimized capture points should yield up to a 10% visitor to lead rate. Arch Media will audit your site and optimize you capture points to ensure that you are capturing emails, snail mail and mobile information at an optimum level. Your database is a matter of "quality" not quantity - if you effectively capture your visitor information, your database can be a great source of funding.
How can Arch Media help you:
- Website capture point Audit
- Referral Programs and Loyalty program strategy and implementation
Your past customers are your best bet for new revenue. You have already invested time and money to acquire and satisfy their needs - now unlock their hidden potential for future revenue.
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